Ex. 10:1,7-11,24-29, Heart-Hardening (6)

In today’s reading we can understand again that God’s hardening of Pharaoh’s heart took place with Pharaoh’s full cooperation.  Pharaoh did what he desired to do.

One way we see it is in the words of his servants.  God says He will also harden the hearts of the servants (10:1).  And sure enough, it is the servants who are ready to give up the fight first (10:7).  By the end of Ex. 10 Pharaoh and Moses have their final words.  In other words, Pharaoh holds on for a little longer than his servants.  Can we see Pharaoh’s exerting his will and exalting himself in this?  Let’s quickly review the verbal war between Moses and Pharaoh; in doing this I think we see Pharaoh’s pride.

·        5:3: Moses’ basic request, speaking for the LORD: let My people go three days into the desert for a feast.

·        7:16: Repeated before the first plague.

·        8:1: Again before the second plague.  Pharaoh agrees to let the people go to sacrifice to the LORD (8:8) but then changes his mind (hardens his heart).  I think Pharaoh’s words show his pride when Moses tells him to choose the time to remove the plague and Pharaoh doesn’t say what he wants to say (get rid of them NOW) but instead tries to save face (it’s not that bad; tomorrow is soon enough).

·        8:20: Repeated before the fourth plague.

·        8:25-29: Pharaoh permits them to go sacrifice in the land which Moses rejects.  Pharaoh agrees, Moses rebukes Pharaoh (don’t be deceitful again).  Moses sounds like a mother to a little child which would serve to incite Pharaoh’s pride.

·        9:1: Repeated before the fifth plague.

·        9:13-17: Repeated before the seventh plague with Moses’ warning that this plague will go to your heart.  This is a direct challenge to Pharaoh.  For the first time he seems to confess sin (9:27-28).  And again Moses lays the guilt on Pharaoh: As yet you exalt yourself.  Pharaoh is doing what his pride tells him to do.

·        10:3: Repeated before the eighth plague.  Moses’ words lay the responsibility on Pharaoh: How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me?  This is when the servants encourage Pharaoh to give up and let the men go to worship (10:7).  Pharaoh agrees to let the men go, but Moses will not accept this.

·        10:24-29: After the ninth plague Pharaoh permits all the people to go but not the livestock.  Again, Moses does not agree to this.  And with this the verbal war ends.

Let me be clear.  God is hardening Pharaoh’s heart.  But what we are saying is that Pharaoh is proud and is constantly trying to save face, making compromises so he can gain something out of it.  I am not making a political statement here when I say that the current showdown (Jan. 2019) between President Trump and the Democrats reminds me a lot of Moses/God and Pharaoh/Servants/gods of Egypt.  Both sides try to explain why they maintain their positions.  I don’t doubt that God is at work, even in that situation.  I always think that is the case.  At the same time I don’t doubt that they are all doing according to what they want to do.